Thread: diesel engine?

My friend has a new Ford Powerstroke truck. He said that the diesel engine takes a special type of oil "diesel oil",not available in his local parts stores. The dealer has it for $2.50 a quart-he needs 15 quarts! Is this true?

Bob,
Your friend is right about the Powerstroke taking 15qts. of oil. Dad works in the mining business, and they have Chevy and Ford Diesels. I just asked him and he said the PSD takes 15 qts. of 15w-40 motor oil. They run 15-40 in all their diesel pickups. These trucks are driven down into a zinc mine, sometimes as far down as 1200 feet!
Ray Kirby, a member on this forum, has a Ford pickup with the PSD. You may try to get his attention, i'm sure he can help you out a lot more than I can.

Bob, the 7.3 liter PSD takes 15 qts of qil, correct. The best oils are Amsoil or Shell Rotella. I have a commercial account for Amsoil but I'm not allowed to sell it retail, I think someone on the site does sell it, I'm just not sure who. Most parts stores stock Rotella but some put it near the transmission fluid for some reason.

The oil has to have a c rating. That stands for compression engine, whick is what a diesel is. Rotella T from shell is a very good oil. Amsoil is also, but will be very $$ as it is a full synthetic oil. Mobil Delvac and Delvac 1 are also good oils, along with fleetgaurd from IH.
Dino

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I am not the biggest and I am not the best but I fall somewhere comfortably in between.

My '95 powerstroke has been getting the shell and lattly i have been able to get Castrol for it both are 15w40.I run it all year long with that weight. it seams to be ok in the cold but i plug in to help the engine from overworking it self when the weather gets cold in boston.But long as you get the right rateing and you change it reguarly you should have no problems.hope this helps.

I used to buy Shell Rotella T at Sams club for my Cummins,it was 30-32 dollars for six gallons,a case gave me 2 oil changes.The powerstroke holds 15 qts of oil so it can use it to fire the injectors at up to 3000 PSI,some oils had a foaming problem,but now additives are put in most oils to take care of it.Clean oil is the best way to get a long life out of a pwerstroke.Some guys use amsoil in there diesels with the bypass filter and go as much as 100K between changes-this is not a good idea with the PSD.

Hey Bob
A friend of mine bought one. The first thing he did was change the oil. It started running bad within about thirty minuets. It was explained by the mechanic that the cam has eight small circles in it. The injector pump has to see through a circle for correct timing. Foaming oil interfears with the electronic signal.Correct me if I'm wrong,thats what I was told.